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Space-borne instruments that are dedicated to the observation of the soft X-ray (XUV) to the near-infrared (NIR) spectral bands commonly use Silicon (Si) photodetectors, which are technologically mature. However, present photodetectors for the ultraviolet (UV) exhibit serious limitations in terms of performance and lifetime.

Next missions planned to study the Sun require innovative UV detectors. Therefore an original detector development programme entitled BOLD (’Blind to the Optical Light Detectors’) has been set up by the Royal Observatory of Belgium involving international partners. The purpose of this challenging project is to demonstrate the suitability of wide bandgap materials (WBGM) based UV detectors that shall become the baseline for our next UV radiometers and telescopes.

The aim of our research group is to develop innovative photodetectors and related space technologies that are suited for harsh particle environment. This website presents the progress made with the developed devices.